Top 5 Medical Inventions Seniors Can Look Forward to in 2015

By Rick Cohen, 8:53 pm on November 18, 2014

It is no longer a surprise that medical science can make life changing and miraculous breakthroughs. Therefore true to form, 2015 already promises a particularly spectacular array of healthcare innovations that will touch the daily lives of countless seniors. Here are five that you’ll want to be on the lookout for, presented by the Milwaukee in-home care experts at Home Care Assistance.

Breakthrough cancer therapies. A number of new and improved cancer treatments are on the horizon. One of the most promising is an antibody-drug conjugate that helps ensure that only cancerous cells are attacked while healthy tissue remains untouched. Adding this “smart bombapproach” to current chemo and radiation therapies has already shown substantial improvement in cancer treatment outcomes.

New meds to manage heart failure. Receiving life saving heart failure treatment often comes at the price of taking a potentially overwhelming amount of daily medication Angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitor, or ARNI, is a breakthrough new medication that not only provides more effective heart failure treatment, but does so by combining two medications in a single dose, helping to make medication management even more manageable.

Smaller, simpler pacemakers. A standard of treatment for several cardiac diseases, pacemakers are surgically placed in the chest muscle, allowing pacing wires to reach the heart. These lifesaving devices will soon be available as small self-contained units placed entirely within the heart chamber. They will require only minimally invasive surgery lasting less than fifteen minutes!

Improved cholesterol lowing drugs. Statins, a family of cholesterol lowering drugs that have become nearly ubiquitous in medicine cabinets across the country, are widely credited as safe and effective. For those who have not been able obtain the LDL lowering benefits of statins, a new class of drugs will soon become available. Look for injectable PCSK9 inhibitors, which are likely to gain a catchier name by the time they reach pharmacy shelves.

Pain-free blood testing. Blood testing is an essential tool for managing a number of health concerns. While some tests can currently be conducted from a single drop of blood collected from a finger stick, most common blood testing will soon be available using this painless technique. Not only is it more comfortable for patients, single drop testing technologies allow for faster results at a fraction of the cost of whole vial testing.

If you or an aging parent or loved one suffer from a condition that makes daily activities difficult to complete or perform, it’s important to know that help is available. While the above healthcare innovations are soon to come, immediate assistance can be provided by Home Care Assistance of Milwaukee. Caregivers can provide hourly or live-in home care for Milwaukee seniors, assisting with nutritious meal preparation, medication reminders, personal care and more.

To schedule a complimentary, no-obligation consultation to learn more about in-home care and assistance, reach out to a Care Manager today at 414-964-8000.